


So much more than spelling

by KittyPaw



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Anakin Skywalker Needs a Hug, Brotherly Bonding, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Master & Padawan Relationship(s), Master and Padawan bonding, Tatooine Slave Culture, Young Anakin Skywalker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-20
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:29:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26553622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KittyPaw/pseuds/KittyPaw
Summary: New Padawan Anakin, still just nine years old, doesn't known what to do when people aren't ordering him around. So Obi-Wan gives him a list of things he could try, only to find that Anakin, having grown up in slavery, can't read or write.Obi-Wan takes it upon himself to teach the child how to read, even if he's not entirely sure how. Because he gets a feeling it'll be good for Anakin - and besides, it's what the Force wants him to do.(Some cute Obi-Wan and Anakin fluff.)
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 13
Kudos: 256





	So much more than spelling

Obi-Wan had already given Anakin a list of tasks to keep him busy.

Obi-Wan had just been preparing for meditation when Anakin, his brand new padawan, silently walked into the room, only alerting him to his presence through their Force bond. Otherwise, he would have been totally startled. "Obi-Wan," he stated, "tell me what to do."

Obi-Wan had turned around, surprised. "What?" He inquired, not sure he'd heard right.

Anakin looked down. "I don't know what to do. I was told I could do whatever I want, but that's not really settling with me right now. I need somebody to tell me what to do. I was never bored at Watto's. I always knew exactly what I was supposed to be doing." He bit his lip. "I didn't like it, of course, but I can't figure out how to assign myself stuff. Can you help me?"

"Of course!" Obi-Wan looked around for a piece of paper, finding one on a sidetable in the corner and pointing to it. "See that paper? It's an old grocery list, can you get it for me?"

Anakin nodded - much to obediently for Obi-Wan's liking - and brought it to him for him to look at. He turned it over and began to write on the other side with a little pen, scribbling down a list of tasks he figured Anakin might enjoy but also find time consuming. He clicked the pen and handed the list to Anakin. "Here, Ani. There should be something on there that interests you."

A small wave of panic came through the Force, but it died down as Anakin gained control. Obi-Wan was quite impressed at his power for such a young age, and he grabbed the paper, his eyes scanning it. While his shields in the Force were up, Obi-Wan could tell purely by his squinting eyes that something was wrong. "Anakin? Is everything alright?"

"Of course Master," Anakin said very quickly, clasping his hands together. Then he gained control of himself. "Sorry. I - sorry."

"You don't have to call me master if it bothers you," Obi-Wan told him gently.

"No, I - it's easier than breaking the habit."

All that had already happened when Anakin finally said, "Master, I..." Anakin looked Obi-Wan in the eye, his voice small. "I don't really know how to read or write."

Obi-Wan was careful not to let his shock resonate in the Force - Anakin didn't need to be dealing with his surprise right now. He supposed he should have thought of that, given Anakin's background. Still, it hadn't really occurred to him that a nine-year-old wouldn't be able to read. "I should have seen that coming," Obi-Wan said apologetically.

"You're not... mad?" Anakin asked tentatively, looking up at him.

"How could I be mad?" Obi-Wan shook his head. "No way. It's not your fault you don't know how to read or write. Though -" Obi-Wan winced. He really didn't want to say this - "it may pose a problem, now that you're a citizen of the republic and live on Coruscant."

"I understand Master," Anakin said quickly. It was really bothering Obi-Wan.

"You really don't have to call me that if you don't want to."

"It's actually not really me remembering your title so much as a habitual phrase," Anakin admitted. "I'll - I'll figure out the Aurebesh alphabet. I need to be able to read Basic, you're right."

It really pained Obi-Wan to hear Anakin like this - he hated that Tatooine, and some other Outer Rim planets, still permitted slavery. That children grew up like him, thinking that they needed to call everybody "master" and figure everything out on their own. "Nonsense. It would be near impossible for you to teach yourself. I'll teach you to read," Obi-Wan said decidedly, even though he had no clue how to teach a language. It was just instinct, and maybe the Force nudged him to say it a bit.

Anakin brightened - Obi-Wan could feel it - but then it died down on Anakin's wary face. "Really?" He clarified.

Obi-Wan nodded his head reassuringly. "Of course! Here, let me pull up the alphabet..."

~

Obi-Wan really didn't know what he was during, but he knew he must be doing _something_ right, because Anakin was figuring it out. "Aurek," he muttered as he wrote it down. "Nern, aurek, um... um... krill?" He looked up at Obi-Wan for confirmation, who nodded. With new assurance, Anakin turned back to his work, recounting what he'd already done. "Aurek, nern, aurek, krill... isk... nern." He looked up at Obi-Wan, who was beaming, causing Anakin to smile too.

"Fantastic! Do you know what I just taught you to spell?"

Anakin wore a look of consideration, and Obi-Wan could practically hear him relaying all the sounds Obi-Wan had taught him in his head. "Um... A..na...kin. Hey!" Anakin brightened. "That's my name! You taught me how to spell my name?"

"Do you think," Obi-Wan said tentatively, "given the sounds you know... you could figure out your last name, too?"

Anakin didn't look sure, but he nodded. "I'll try." Obi-Wan wasn't about to give him the lecture about doing and doing not... he knew that was the last thing Anakin needed. "Senth... krill..." He paused. "Isk?"

Obi-Wan shook his head. "Your name is kind of weird - the yirt makes that sound in your name."

Anakin's face scrunched up. "This is weird." Then he turned back to his paper. "Senth... krill... yirk... wesk... aurek... leth... krill... resh?"

Obi-Wan smiled proudly. "There is an esk between the krill and the resh, but other than that, exactly!"

Anakin nodded, bit his lip, and looked back down, writing his name: _ANAKIN SKYWALKER._

"Perfect!" Obi-Wan smiled, and Anakin looked back up at him, grinning at his success. "You just won yourself a trip to Dex's Diner. Let's go!"


End file.
